Help Our Hospitality: Unique food business owner ‘proud’ to be part of Northampton’s thriving hospitality scene

The owner of a unique food business is “proud” to be part of Northampton’s hospitality industry – filled with variety and individuals who genuinely want to support one another.

Fashion Bake brought frozen homemade dumplings and bao buns to the town at a time when no one else was offering them.

The products, which are available to shop in meal kits, can be cooked quickly from home or can be shopped fresh when Fashion Bake attends events in their food van.

The business is the brainchild of Jessica Ly, who started this journey when she was made redundant from a job in London.

When this happened in March 2020, Jessica found herself in a state of anxiety about what was to come next – and pleating dumplings at home became her therapy.

She spent the next two months testing recipes and with five weeks left of her tenancy in London before she moved back to her hometown Northampton, she decided to sell them in the capital.

As dumplings were a staple in her household and a great comfort food, Jessica knew there was the potential to sell them frozen for others to enjoy as much as she did.

The business owner, who grew up in Weston Favell, is the proud daughter of Vietnamese refugees.

Though her parents’ homes may have been displaced throughout generations, one thing that has remained the same is the food on their table.

The dumplings and bao buns sold by Fashion Bake represent Jessica’s family’s journey from Vietnam, to Hong Kong, and now where they reside in the UK.

The business owner’s biggest inspiration, along with her parents, is her late grandfather.

The products offered by Fashion Bake include pork and shiitake, chicken and Chinese leaf, and veggie dumplings – as well as char siu bao and veggie bao buns.

The business is still run from Jessica’s home, which is where it all began when it first launched in Northampton in September 2020.

Jessica first attended Bite Street in July 2021, before she got her own food van a year later and has sold at a number of mobile events since.

As her parents have always been involved in the food industry as chefs, and even had a takeaway van of their own 30 years ago, this was Jessica’s “full circle moment”.

Though Jessica is the founder, her mother helps her make the bao buns – which she has been refining and perfecting for the past 25 years – and her partner helps out at events.

For this week’s Help Our Hospitality campaign, Jessica was asked what message she wanted to send to our readers about the importance of supporting independent businesses.

She said: “It’s really important to support the amazing businesses in Northamptonshire – there’s so much variety and talent, which won’t survive without support.”

With inflation and the cost of living continuing to rise, the business owner described this moment in time as a “crucial point for everybody to come together and support”.

Jessica believes this is something Northampton is good at, as the community champions local businesses.

“It’s about being more aware of where we spend our money,” she added. “If we invest back into the community, it’s always better and supports people’s families.”

As a strong advocate for supporting her fellow business owners, Jessica was asked how she feels to be among Northampton’s hospitality industry and said: “I’m so proud.

“I feel really honoured to have a group of amazing independents who champion and support each other.”

She also shared that she is part of a group of female business owners, who meet every couple of months to talk business and continue to be there for one another.

Street food is not an area that has been widely explored by this campaign so far, so I was eager to find out how Jessica believes the hospitality industry has evolved over the past two years.

Jessica drew on the fact that her parents own a restaurant in the town centre, which differs completely to what she has to offer – and it allows her to compare.

“People want an experience,” said Jessica. “They don’t just want to sit down in a restaurant.”

The business owner added that the music, vibe, service and variety on offer all culminate into providing this desired experience.

She referred to the success of street food pop-up Bite Street, and believes more people are heading outdoors and attending events with variety.

Describing customers as more “cautious with their money”, Jessica says it is all about a “good time, experience and service”.

Talking about why this transition has happened, Jessica said: “During lockdown, people were deprived of social connection and since then outdoor street food has boomed.

“People want variety, 10 different options and to have a drink with their friends.”

As an independent business owner, Jessica says every purchase “means the world”.

“I am so grateful for every penny spent on us,” she added. “We put our heart and soul into everything we do. For people to purchase again, there’s nothing like it.”

Jessica and the Fashion Bake team will be at Bite Street’s one-off special at Delapre Abbey this weekend, before the owner takes some time off.

She will be back with more events in the winter months, including the popular winter party with V&B – a town centre venue offering wine, beer, spirits and live music.

For more information on Fashion Bake, you can visit their Facebook page here.